NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Broncos made the right choice, but the wrong call.

Second-guessing, third-reacting and fifth-hindsighting over the decision to sacrifice a sure field goal for an uncertain touchdown doesn’t matter now. The Broncos lost to the Titans 17-14, and anything anybody thinks will not change that outcome and upshot.

But, more important, is sending Willis McGahee into the line the correct play? Should the Broncos have run outside, passed over the middle, thrown a fade into the corner or — heaven forbid! — inserted a different quarterback?

As if Denver didn’t have enough controversy, women, children and gentlemen, start your arguments.

And McGahee — who was brought to the Broncos for just these situations — poured, without trying, a bit of kerosene to the blaze.

The veteran running back — who was stopped short on fourth-and- goal at the Titans’ 1-yard line — was among the very last to dress Sunday afternoon. He emerged from the trainer’s room with ice bags around both ankles.

When we were alone, I asked him: “Was that play supposed to go over center?”

McGahee paused.

It seemed that the Broncos would run at the right side of the line behind their best run blockers — veteran guard Chris Kuper and rookie tackle Orlando Franklin. They’d already tried the middle on second down for no gain and at left tackle, behind Ryan Clady, on third down for barely a yard.

Coach John Fox had told me before training camp that his philosophy was that if he tried a play on third-and-short and it didn’t succeed, he would kick or utilize a different play on fourth down.

Kuper is a team captain and, after losing his helmet in the game here last season, was sucker-punched by Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan. Kuper was motivated. Indeed, Kuper said to The Post’s Lindsay Jones that he requested that offensive coordinator Mike McCoy call a play to run behind him.

McGahee finally told me: “The play was to run at right guard. Everybody has to be on the same page. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”

“As fast as it was all happening, did you change your direction?” I asked.

“Didn’t have time. It just ended up in the middle. That’s all I’m going to say.”

So, who was at fault? McGahee, the offensive linemen or the Titans’ defense. End Derrick Morgan was credited with the tackle, but it looked like last call at a bar. McGahee had nowhere to go with eight Titans in on the play.

Were Fox and McCoy responsible?

When the field-goal unit ran onto the field for fourth down, Orton gestured passionately for the Broncos to try for the touchdown. Fox called time.

“We were going to kick the field goal, and we reconsidered because where (the football) was. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where the ball is spotted. From what we got (from the assistants) upstairs, it was six inches, and we felt like we could get it in,” Fox said.

How about Orton? “I think any time you are on the road and you have a chance to go up by 11 and put the game away, you have to try and do it from a half-yard,” he told reporters.

Could he have checked-off at the line? No.

Yet, he does get some blame. After escaping the depths, the Titans punted; the Broncos punted; the Titans scored; and the Broncos got the ball to the Titans’ 39 before Orton threw an interception that ended the game and made the fourth-down decision and play momentous.

There was another possibility, and it must be raised — in passing and running.

Last season, in spot-duty red- zone situations from mid-October to mid-November, Tim Tebow had three rushing touchdowns (two that went for 1 yard and the other for 5 yards) and one passing touchdown from 1 yard out.

But Fox doesn’t have a “Tebow Package” for first-and-goal, and obviously doesn’t want, like his predecessor, to affect Orton’s psyche in these situations. Fox is as conservative as the news network with the same name.

A failure to score in three rushes from the 2- or 1-yard line may change mind-sets at Dove Valley.

On a cool, crystal-blue fall afternoon, the Broncos confronted their longest yard.

A yard of Tennessee turf separated the Broncos from the goal line and their goal of being above .500 for the first time since December 2009. Three feet for Fox and his players winning their first road game with the new coach.

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